One Arabian Night
by Adamantwrites
Summary: Inspired by "One Thousand and One Arabian Nights." Adam and Hoss are invited to spend an evening of delights by an Arabian horse seller.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters and settings are the property of their respective owners. All Original characters and plot are the property of the author and not to be copied or reprinted without the express permission of the author. No copyright infringement is intended.

One Arabian Night

Part 1

"Hey, Adam," Hoss said, nudging his brother, "look at that." The two Cartwright brothers were leaning on the fence rails of the arena in Virginia City along with many other prospective bidders, while the horses were led out and then around for the buyers to see; the auction would take place the next day.

Adam turned and saw two men, both draped in the headdresses and flowing robes of someone from the pages of "The Thousand and One Arabian Nights." One man watched the horses, carefully appraising them while the other spoke to him in lowered tones, gesturing rapidly and obviously subservient to the other man who held himself with an air of importance.

"They must have brought over those Arabian mares and that stallion that are up for bid. I tried to talk Pa into buying a few Arabian mares to up the endurance of our stock but he wouldn't listen."

"I can see why," Hoss said. "I seen dogs bigger than them mares. But they sure is pretty lookin' with them delicate legs and high-flyin' tails. They ain't been gingered have they?'

"No, that's just a trait of the breed along with the scooped head and that beautiful neck."

"The what head?" Hoss was puzzled.

"The way their skull is more concave. You know, scoops in a bit."

"Oh," Hoss replied. All he knew is that the Arabian horses were beautiful but he couldn't see them being used to corral stock or roping calves. He knew nothing about their skulls except that it was a different shape from that of their mustangs or quarter horses but probably just as hard. "Why would they help with endurance?"

"Because they're used to being run in sand and in temperatures that're a helluva lot hotter than anything we have here." Adam glanced back over at the two men in the flowing garments. "I'm going to go talk to them."

"Adam, you don't speak no Araby nor nothin' like that."

Adam grinned at Hoss who looked worried, his brows furrowed. "Maybe they speak English," Adam said. "C'mon." Adam motioned for Hoss to follow him.

Adam sauntered over to the two men who turned and looked to him questioningly. "Excuse me if I've broken some protocol by accosting you outright, but I'm Adam Cartwright and this is my brother Hoss. If you're the sellers of the Arabian horses, well, I'm interested in purchasing a mare. I hope that you aren't offended because I made the assumption that you were the seller."

"Mr. Cartwright," the dominant man replied, "I am aware that in this country, many formalities are bypassed-it is the only way to conduct business I have found, so no, no protocol has been broken. And I am not in the least offended; it is only logical. Since I am obviously Arabian, should I want to buy any of the Arabian stock, I would merely stay in my home country instead of traveling such great distance but I would travel this far in order to sell. There has been, as of late, great demand for my much-valued horses. I am Al-Basheer and this is my vizier, Abdul Hamid." Abdul Hamid made a bow to Adam who nodded his head in recognition. Neither man proffered his hand. "It is always a pleasure to find a forthright man with whom to do business. Perhaps we should talk."

"I would like that," Adam said. "I'll tell you what qualities I'm looking for in a horse and you can advise me as to which mare best serves my purpose."

Al-Basheer grinned widely. He was a man in his early fifties with deep wrinkles around his eyes. His beard was graying but it was obvious that he was a man of great wealth; he had gold rings on almost every finger and in them were set rubies, emeralds and sapphires. He had about him the scent of cloves and was obviously well-fed, probably on rich foods.

"And," Al-Basheer said, "I am looking for a mare to take back with me-I like novelty. It is the same as in choosing a wife. I have a wife who embodies each of the many traits I admire in a woman and yet each wife is special in her own way. And so it is for a horse; one to ride at ease, another to ride hard and another who nuzzles the owner with affection and is beautiful to view but not good for much else. But it is always a source of pleasure each time another mare is added to the fold, particularly if she has novel traits."

Adam laughed deeply. "So very true." He found the conversation enjoyable and was impressed by how well Al-Basheer spoke English; he spoke much better than most people with whom Adam came into daily contact. But Hoss was confused and upset by the whole conversation. He wanted to clarify some things with Adam.

"Perhaps, Mr. Cartwright, you and your brother would care to dine with me tonight at my suite. I have brought my own staff and many comforts from my home. I am certain that you will enjoy the evening as much as I will. Pleasure tonight and business tomorrow; it is better to do business with a man one knows than with a stranger."

"I would enjoy that," Adam said. "Just tell me where and when and we will be there."

"Adam, I…" Hoss interrupted but Adam waved him off dismissively.

"Perhaps at 8:00. We are at the Grand Hotel. Just ask at the desk." And then Al-Basheer bowed slightly, turned to his vizier and the two walked away, the vizier buzzing around him, obviously protesting the invitation.

"Adam," Hoss said. "You said that Pa didn't want none if them mares."

"He did. But I want one of the mares; Pa'll come around when he sees the colts she'll drop."

"Adam," Hoss said, "did that Al-Basheer say he got more'n one wife?"

Adam turned to him, smiling. "Yeah, he did. Why?"

"Well, I just-you think he's got 'em all here with 'im?"

Adam laughed. "No. I don't think so. Sometimes, depending on how rich a man is, why he could have over a hundred." Adam watched Hoss' face light up.

"Over a hundred wives, huh? All pretty, I bet." Hoss watched the two men off in the distance. "Dang, that would be somethin' else, huh?' I guess you could just go down and pick the one you wanted that night."

"I guess so."

"Maybe even more'n one."

"Could if you wanted. Now let's go home and wash up. We can't go stinkin' like horse-or in your case, a horse's ass."

"You think we'll meet a Jinn?" Hoss asked. "You know, like in them stories you read me when I was little-like Aladdin?"

"I doubt it and don't go rubbing on any of their lamps," Adam said as they walked to their horses tied a way from the arena.

"Ah, you know I ain't silly enough to go and do that. But what would you wish for, Adam, if there was a Jinn? 'Member when we was just kids and we would talk about what our three wishes would be?"

"Well, my wishes now would be different from what they were then," Adam said.

"Yeah, but I remember that you used to say that your third wish would be to have all the wishes you wanted. Would you keep that?" Hoss studied his brother; he could never tell what Adam really wanted or was thinking and Adam rarely revealed all his mind to anyone.

Adam untied his horse's reins and held them while he thought.

"I wouldn't wish for anything, anymore." Adam mounted his horse and Hoss did as well and they turned their horses' heads toward home. "Let me tell you the story of Tithonus-'The woods decay, the woods decay and fall.' "

"What's that mean?" Hoss asked.

"It's about the ravages of time from a poem by Tennyson called 'Tithonus.' Aurora, the goddess of the dawn, fell in love with Tithonus and since he was mortal, she asked Zeus, begged him, to give Tithonus immortality. Zeus granted her wish but Aurora neglected to ask for eternal youth for Tithonus so over the years, he aged and became a babbling, grasshopper-like, old man-thin and fragile-and Aurora finally locked him away from pity in a luxurious chamber where he spent all eternity becoming older and older but unable to die until pity was taken on him and he was turned into a cicada. You see the irony; Aurora was renewed every morning as the day is and Tithonus just traveled further into eternal twilight. There's always a catch, Hoss, to every wish, and like Tithonus-we'd be begging the Jinn to 'take back thy gift.' So no, I wouldn't want any wish. I'd push that Jinn back into the lamp or the bottle or well, wherever he came from and go on my way."

"I swear, Adam. I don't understand you sometimes. You think too much and thinkin' that much just makes a person unhappy in my opinion."

"And now that I think on it, you're right, Hoss. I think you're right about that too." The two brothers grinned at one another and urged their horses into a slow canter and rode out of town with Adam and Hoss contemplating dinner that night-Hoss, on what was to be served and Adam, on who would be doing the serving.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

Part 2

"Now don't embarrass me, Hoss, by asking about the food-just eat what's put before you slowly-don't gulp and don't reach. It's bad enough that you wore that hat," Adam said as they waited at the door to the "royal suite," as Tom, the desk clerk, had derisively called it. Adam recalled the bit of information Tom had shared with them.

"That Sultan," Tom had said, "or whatever he calls himself, had us move out most of the furniture from the suites-he's got half the top floor with them three big rooms that are connected. And then we had to move in these fancy stools and cushions and these huge candlesticks; they stand on the floor and I swear, they must be four, five feet high. And they do their own cooking-he even brought his own cooks along. Can you believe that? People been complaining about the smell of lamb in their rooms. And you know we don't allow cooking in the rooms. Take a big nose-full. Smell it?"

"Smells good to me," Hoss had said. "Dang, I'd be hungry all the time iffen I smelled that all day."

"I knew I was talking to the wrong person," Tom said. Hoss closed his eyes to better enjoy the fragrant and savory odors emanating from upstairs.

Adam laughed. "Just tell me what room?"

"Can't you just follow your nose?" Tom asked. "Follow Hoss' nose. I bet he's better than a blood hound at trackin' down food."

"Room number?"

"306, but, Adam, he's got a few women up there with them and they aren't married to him or that other man, that Abdul. They're like…handmaidens, I guess and although they had these thin veils over their faces and all these clothes on, layer after layer, let me tell you, they were beautiful-all four of them. Couldn't really tell about their shapes though but they sure did smell good."

Hoss turned around, his mouth having fallen open. "Four? None of them wives?"

"That's right," Tom continued, "and I told them that we were a nice establishment and that we didn't truck with any nasty goings-on."

Adam shook his head in incredulity that Tom would say such a thing. "And what did he say?"

"He didn't say much of anything but that Abdul something-got all upset and red in the face and talked about offending the sultan-whatever that is-shook his finger at me like I was some kid and all that, so I apologized and I even had to help cart their stuff upstairs."

"Just think of all the money the hotel will be getting," Adam said. "That'll make everything easier to swallow. Room 306, huh?" Tom nodded and Hoss and Adam trudged up the stairs.

Abdul Hamid opened the door and ushered Adam and Hoss inside. Adam was impressed; he felt as if he had been transported to a magical place-just as when he was a child and would read books about foreign places and could imagine himself moving among the pages with the hero. Delicate screens were about the room and tall, thick, brass, decorated candlesticks held fragrant, pillar candles that lit the room and emitted a perfume. Al-Basheer sat on an ottoman at a low table and there were cushions thrown about but what caught Adam's eye the most were four young women. They had demure expressions, all dark haired and dark-eyed but each with a singular beauty; their skin shone in the candle light and their black hair glistened. Their ears were hung with gold-set jewels and they wore silken fabrics. Their tight, embroidered jackets were short and ended below their breasts and their flowing pantaloons began just below their navels which held jewels. The softly falling cloth emphasized their wide hips. They wore no shoes.

"Adam," Hoss whispered, "they got jewels in their belly buttons." Hoss was surprised to see that the women were as decorated as the room.

"Yes," Adam softly said. "most intriguing." He found the women most desirable.

Al-Basheer stood, smiling congenially, waving them in. "Come in my friends." Two of the young women came to them and one took Hoss' hat and coat and the other Adam's. Then the women led them over to the table and Adam and Hoss sat down on the cushions; Hoss had trouble becoming comfortable but once both Cartwrights were, the women sat down beside them. Adam turned and smiled at the lovely, young woman who looked up at him through her lowered thick, black lashes.

There were two other women who seemed to know exactly what to do without any given direction. After Abdul Hamid sat down, slightly removed from the three men, wine was poured and Al-Basheer raised his brass cup and so did Hoss and Adam. Abdul Hamid held his cup but did not raise it.

"To pleasant company and a more than pleasant evening. To good wine, good food and may prosperity reign in all our business dealings. And tonight, may all your hungers be fulfilled."

"I'll certainly drink to that," Adam said and he and Hoss drank along with Al-Basheer.

"Hey," Hoss said, "this tastes better than any wine I ever had." Hoss looked into the cup and the woman who sat next to him refilled it. Hoss smiled at her and she gave him just a hint of a smile but her eyes engaged him. Hoss swallowed nervously; he wasn't sure what he was supposed to do so he just drank the wine which she immediately refilled.

"I am so glad that you like the wine. I hope that you will enjoy the meal as well." At that, dishes of food were placed on the low table by the other two women. The room was filled with a variety of odors. Adam enjoyed the spices and the fragrance they added to the air.

Hoss' eyes widened at the many dishes; he had never seen so much food before, not even on Hop Sing's best day. "Dang," he said, "I could eat all night!"

"I have to second that-and be careful, "Adam said to Al-Basheer, "Hoss CAN eat all night. I do have to say, everything smells so wonderful and certainly looks appetizing enough that even a man who was satiated would find himself wanting to eat more."

"And so it is with women; they are all so lovely, so…how did you say it…appetizing…that a man, even sated with one, continues to taste others, each with a unique flavor."

Hoss blushed and Adam laughed. Then Adam turned to the beauty next to him who had raised herself to her knees and placed a bowl of white grain covered with a yellow sauce before him and began to feed him. Adam realized that he wasn't going to have to move a finger to eat.

"That," Al-Basheer said, pointing to the woman next to Adam, "is Tasnim. Her name means 'Fountain of Paradise' and she will be yours for the evening."

Adam raised a brow in question. He believed that he knew what Al-Basheer meant but didn't want to make any assumptions. But when he glanced at Tasnim, she flushed slightly. Even the tops of her breasts above her low-cut jacket turned rosy under her flawless, amber skin. And Adam admired her. Her large eyes could look both innocent yet seductive at the same time and her lips were full and rosy. Her waist was narrow and then curved out to wide hips which he could see through the flowing fabric, and led to firm thighs that eventually tapered to narrow ankles.

"And," Al-Basheer added, turning to Hoss, "this is Jadwa. Her name means 'gift' and she will be my gift to you, Hoss. May all your desires be fulfilled. Enjoy the food." And the other two women sat, one on each side of Al-Basheer and the three men began to enjoy the feast.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Part 3

Adam and Al-Basheer talked horses; Adam was impressed with Al-Basheer's knowledge and the respect between the two men was mutual. Al-Basheer listened carefully to what Adam had to say about horses and breeding, talking about traits that both mares and stallions passed along and about the importance of new blood being introduced to the line. The men also discussed the necessity of putting down foals that showed faults and genetic weaknesses-something which had always distressed Hoss but nevertheless, was an unavoidable fact of breeding any animal.

But Hoss was too busy enjoying the variety of tastes in the foods and the beauty of Jadwa to participate in the discussion of husbandry. Jadwa had round plump arms and a full mouth and she smiled and fed Hoss pieces of savory lamb and chicken that was so tender that the flesh fell cleanly from the bone. And Jadwa would use pieces of flatbread to wipe up all the savory juices from the empty bowl and fold the bread and place the small pieces into Hoss' mouth. And she would take a delicate napkin and wipe his lips of any juices before she handed him his wine glass. She would tilt her head at a charming angle and smile up at him and he would look down at her full figure that seemed to beg to be released from the confining jacket.

Adam also enjoyed the food but had to gently push the bowl away after Tasnim filled it again after emptying it for the second time. "Enough," he said gently and then he continued his conversation with Al-Basheer but he was always aware of Tasnim's dizzying scent of jasmine and the warmth of her body as she slightly pressed against him.

More dishes were brought out after all the others were cleared and one held crushed almond and honey stuffed dates which Tasnim fed to Adam. Another dish held sugared fruits and another held small pastries that dripped with honey.

"Do you like them?" Tasnim asked in English which surprised Adam. So far, she had said nothing and he had no clue that she spoke anything but her native language.

"You speak English and so well," Adam said after he finished swallowing the filled date.

"Tasnim is talented and catches on to languages very quickly," Al-Basheer said with a hint of pride in his deep voice. "She also has other abilities which are hidden from the eye; they must be experienced but she is a gem and highly knowledgeable of many things."

Adam cleared his throat as Tasnim fed him another date. She smiled seductively as she wiped a bit of honey from his lips with a finger and then stuck the finger in her mouth, sucking on it gently; Adam knew when he was being seduced and he offered no protest.

Hoss was enjoying the sweets immensely. Even though Jadwa spoke no English, she giggled while Hoss fed her honeyed fruit and stuffed dates and she, in turn, fed him. He even shared his wine cup with her and the two were soon exchanging kisses that were quickly becoming more passionate and probing.

Adam couldn't help but look and wonder what had suddenly made Hoss so playful; he wanted to blame it on the wine but it wasn't particularly strong-flavorful and sweet but not with a heavy kick. Adam had seen Hoss drink most men under the table before showing any effects himself.

"I am honored," Al-Basheer commented with a smile, "that your brother is pleased with Jadwa."

"I think the fact that he doesn't have to carry on a conversation may be the reason; Hoss can never think of anything to say but with Jadwa, he doesn't have to." The two men smiled and laughed and Hoss never even noticed as Jadwa had stood up and was leading him into one of the suites.

"May he find pleasure with such a worthy servant," Al-Basheer said. Then he turned to Adam. "And after such a meal perhaps you and Tasnim would enjoy the mutual pleasure of rest and leisure."

Adam looked at Tasnim who blushed again and looked down with a coy smile. Then she turned her dark eyes upon Adam and rose, stretching out one small arm to take his hand. Adam stood and allowed Tasnim to lead him by the hand into another room. A large bed that had smooth silken sheets and cushions took up most of the area and it was surrounded by fragrant candles.

"You must be made comfortable as any worthy guest. These clothes you wear do not allow your body to digest the food and wine. Let me help you." And Tasnim began to undress Adam. He allowed her, a small grin on his face, waiting to see what else awaited him. Tasnim went to a small table and retrieved a bottle, removed the stopper and told him to lie on his stomach on the bed which he did, Tasnim kneeled across his lower back and pouring an amount of the scented oil-sweet almond was the odor that teased Adam's nostrils-she began to massage his back and shoulders with it. Her hands moved knowledgeably over his muscles which seemed to submit under the heels of her hands as she worked her way down his back, his muscled thighs and calves and then she even massaged his feet, using her thumbs in his arches. He groaned at the pleasure. The tension that filled his body seemed to flow from him and he felt himself relax deeper than he could ever remember having done before. Adam's mind quickly went to Hoss and he wondered if Hoss was receiving as pleasant a massage as he but then his mind quickly came back to the present as Tasnim whispered next to his ear for him to turn over. Adam could feel her long, thick hair brush against his skin and he smelled her sweet breath.

Adam obeyed and Tasnim, after pouring more of the oil in her hands, massaged across his chest and shoulders and then she focused on his face. She stroked his cheeks, focusing on his jaw muscles, and across his forehead, working out the tension. She massaged his ears and then she put pressure with her thumbs on the muscles that ran down the side of his neck while her other fingers pressed into the muscles at the back of his skull. Tasnim then moved into the tops of his shoulders where his neck muscles connected, moving her hands in circles to ease the tight, thick sinews. Then she took first one hand and then the other of Adam's hands, working them with her thumbs.

"One can tell much about a man from his hands," she said.

"Really?" Adam sleepily replied. He had never felt so relaxed before and Tasnim's warmth and gentle ministrations lulled him into complacency. As earlier Adam had considered what he would do if he was alone with Tasnim, he now gave it no thought; he knew that he would have to do nothing and pleasure would be his and his body felt liquid.

"Yes," Tasnim said, continuing to work her thumbs across the knuckles of his hands. She turned his hands over, one after the other, and massaged the palms, one at a time. "Your thumbs, they are thin-waisted. That means that you have a fine lineage. And the breadth of the heel of your hand and how it flows into your wrist, that shows dominance but the length of your fingers as compared with one another, they tell of your potency, something valuable in a man."

Adam, his eyes closed, replied, "I thought that you were going to say that it's obvious that I work with my hands." He felt his hand put down and a cool sheet pulled up to his waist and then Tasnim lay down next to him on her side. She rested a palm on his chest and Adam turned to see her lush lips and her eyes which shone in the candlelight.

"Perhaps you have not heard the story about the lost prince," she offered.

"No, I haven't," he replied. He smiled gently at her; he put Tasnim's age at perhaps eighteen, twenty at the oldest. "But perhaps you would tell me, give me time to become strong again after what you just did to me. You remind me of Delilah who sapped all of Samson's strength when she sheared him."

"Who?" Tasnim asked.

"I'll tell you later. Now tell me about this lost prince."

Tasnim lay her head in the crux of Adam's arm and shoulder and began. "There was a young girl who was walking in the market, looking for fresh fruits and vegetables to purchase for her family. Even with her face covered, the men admired her for under all the flowing robes, she moved like the snake, sinuous and slow and the men gasped even when she did something so simple as to reach for a plum to feel it's ripeness; their minds led them to imagine how she would so gently touch them if she were theirs."

"Why did she cover her face?" Adam asked her.

Tasnim raised herself on one elbow. "Because the woman is nine tenths of desire. Do you not think that?"

"I don't understand," Adam said.

"A rational man becomes…overwhelmed with passion in the presence of a beautiful woman so she is nine tenths responsible for inciting a passionate embrace or any resulting action."

"I can't totally disagree with that but I think that…"

"Let me tell you about the old Sultan and the last wife."

"But what about the lost prince?"

"I will return to him but let me continue…"

And Adam smiled gently and prepared to listen. "My own Scheherazade," he thought and considered himself fortunate.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

Part 4

"There was an old Sultan," Tasnim started as she snuggled closer to Adam, "who was kind and good and so powerful that he struck fear in the hearts of his enemies, men who would have his property which was great, and his many wives, which numbered over a hundred."

"Over a hundred, huh?" Adam asked. His eyes were closed as he listened to Tasnim's melodic voice and felt her fingers gently move across his chest, playing with the hair.

"Yes, for he was a wealthy man and each wife was a beauty. His children numbered in the hundreds as well-his sons strong and handsome, his daughters filled with the beauty of their mothers and beyond. But as the Sultan was aging, he had stopped taking wives since he found that his desire and his ability to show it had begun to wane with his years. His wives worried about him and they sent physicians to their master to see if their beloved's desire could be roused as all the wives still had a great passion to have their husband hold them in his arms and to hear his voice speak of their great beauty and of his love for them. But nothing the physicians prescribed seemed to work although they tried all types of herbs and many spices and such. Yet each night, each wife would bathe and prepare herself for her husband's bed, hoping that he would send for one of them.

"One day the Sultan was riding through one of the villages for as I said, his land holding was great."

At this, Adam stirred slightly; Tasnim had kissed his shoulder and her hand now rested on his abdomen. She began to make light circles around his navel. He could feel his energy return to him slowly. The same way that Tasnim's voice drew his interest, so her fingers and hands drew out his desire.

"The Sultan, in glancing around at the people, all who bowed when the great man who kept them safe from raiding armies which would have, as in the past, carried off not only their valuable goods, but their women as well and leave nothing behind but the corpses of the men and boys to be eaten by the dogs, had allowed them all to prosper.

Well, the Sultan saw a young girl, no older than ten years but she was of such great, luminous beauty that the Sultan pulled up his majestic steed and asked who her parents were. He was told that she was the daughter of a poor man who sold food in the market. And although many people stopped at her father's stall and bought his dishes of lamb and raisins, he had many children and so his money was quickly eaten up in feeding them and keeping them clothed. But the Sultan sent his vizier to go to the child's home and offer a great deal of gold for her; he wanted to take her as his last wife."

"What?" Adam said. "He would take a child as his wife?"

"Children grow and a beautiful girl will grow to a beautiful woman." Tasnim pressed her hot lips against his throat and Adam groaned slightly. "So a price was set and the young girl, whose name was Husnah, which mean 'most beautiful,' became the last wife of the mighty Sultan. So Husnah went into the harem where she was taught all the tricks of love; how to sing to enchant the Sultan, how to dance to entice the Sultan, and how to play the ud in order to entertain her husband once he was spent, but most of all, Husnah was taught the art of satisfying the Sultan by the older wives. So when Husnah came to age, the pure flower was led to her husband who was now five years older than he had been when he first noticed her beauty in the streets of the village.

And when Husnah came before the Sultan, as he had not seen her in all that time except in the eye of his memory, his manhood was immediately awakened. When Husnah threw off her robes and revealed herself, the handmaidens hid their faces because they felt so inferior and the men caught their breath." Tasnim paused in her story-telling, raised herself slightly, and kissed Adam full on the mouth.

"Husnah couldn't be as beautiful as you," Adam said. His voice was caught in his throat for he felt the blood begin to throb through his body; he could hear his pulse pounding in his ears and he moved to slip one arm under Tasnim and to pull her closer.

"Ah, but Husnah had the beauty of which poets write. Her skin was without flaw and the color of deep honey. Her eyes were dark as the night and yet sparkled as the stars do in the night sky. Her body wafted the odor of perfume and her breath was sweet and pure, untainted by wine or highly seasoned food. Her teeth were perfect and white as the valued pearls of the ocean. Her lips were as plump, dark and ripe as the finest plum and her cheeks were rosy as if stained with pomegranate juice. And when Husnah moved, it was as if she floated above the floor.

"The Sultan was pleased with his choice as he found that Husnah made him feel many years younger and he desired his last wife so he gently called to her and Husnah gladly submitted to the needs of the Sultan and was happy that he had chosen her to be his last wife."

"I empathize with the Sultan," Adman said as he kissed Tasnim again. He began to shift himself on the bed.

"Empathize?" Tasnim asked.

"I understand what he was feeling."

Tasnim smiled and coyly glanced down and yet her hands worked, teasing Adam and tantalizing his flesh.

"I am almost through with this story," Tasnim said as Adam began to interrupt her again. "Be patient."

"Well," he said, "if you insist." So he lay back down and reconciled himself to listening.

"Many years passed and the Sultan and Husnah were very happy but the time came where the Sultan was ready to go to his reward that all good men who follow the laws of heaven as set down by the great Prophet do, and his wives cried as they knew that soon their beloved husband would leave them in this place of suffering and pain and it would be many years before they might join him.

"Husnah went to her small quarters and cried in her sorrow. She had been her husband's wife for a mere five years and grieved that she would not have longer to be with him. Now Husnah had been given a beautiful parrot that had been in a cage in the market, as a gift from her husband a few years before and Husnah had named this bird, Asrar which means 'secrets' because the child told her inner feelings and wishes to the parrot. Many a night Husnah had revealed to the beautiful bird, her great love for her husband. Husnah told how kind and good he was and how he had brought out the fire that had been smoldering in her since she first saw him in the marketplace ten years ago. And now Husnah spilled out her overwhelming sadness to Asrar and then the girl fell onto her bed and sobbed.

"Husnah.' She heard her name called. The girl raised herself from the bed and turning, she saw a beautiful woman wearing multi-colored robes, the same colors as her parrot's many feathers. 'Who are you?' Husbah asked in her musical voice for whenever Husnah spoke, it was as if she was singing, her voice was so lovely. 'I am Asrar. I was given the form of a parrot many years ago for an indiscretion. She began to tell Husnah about how she had once talked far too much about her husband's sleeping quarters. When Asrar was of marrying age her father had found a wealthy merchant…"

"Wait," Adam said, raising himself on one elbow and stopping Husnah's mouth by placing two fingers on her lips. "I don't want to hear Asrar's story. Just about Husnah. Please?"

"As you say" Husnah said. "Well, Asrar then told Husnah that she had listened to everything that Husnah had said about her love for her husband over the years. Asrar knew Husnah's feelings to be true for one may lie to another person but not to a parrot that was believed to be of little mind. And Asrar also added that Husnah had been kind and good to her when she was a parrot, giving her delicacies, fruits and various seeds, and singing and playing the ud to the bird and stroking her plumage with gentleness.

"Because of that, Asrar, who had powers before she took the parrot shape…it is a very interesting story of Asrar and how she became a parrot," Husnah said. "Are you certain that you do not wish to hear it?' Tasnim looked up at Adam.

"Maybe later," Adam said.

"Very well. Asrar told Husnah that if she was willing to give years to her husband, the Sultan, then the Sultan would be able to use those years to live longer. 'But,' Asrar said, 'you, Husnah, will quickly become older.' Husnah gladly agreed. She said that she would willingly give up many years to extend the time of happiness with the Sultan for she loved him more than her own life. 'Then go to his room and see what has occurred.' And with that, Asrar returned to her parrot form and flew through the chamber's window and off into the night as Husna lightly flew to the Sultan's chamber.

"Well, as you can imagine, when Husnah arrived at her master's quarters, she saw the Sultan sitting up in bed and he looked twenty years younger than earlier when he had seemed only a breath away from the last one he would take on this earthly sphere. The Sultan was handsome again and virile and so his body shone with his younger age. And everyone looked at Husnah with surprise. 'Husnah,' her husband said, 'what has happened? You look older, my dear, just as I have regained my younger form?' 'Why I have given many years of my youth to you, my husband; I could not bear to lose you.' 'Look at yourself,' the Sultan said and Husnah turned to the large, brass mirror in the quarters and even she gasped. Husna was now more beautiful than she had ever been, and that had been great indeed. And so her husband took her in his arms and covered his beloved wife with kisses and she was praised by all for her goodness and love and self-sacrifice and so it is with all men; a young wife can give them back the years of their youth and make them full men again by causing the blood to flow through their bodies as strongly as in their youth and revive what was withering away."

Adam laughed deeply. "Oh, Tasnim, you are a prize indeed." He pulled her close again and kissed her full of the mouth, enjoying the submission of her lips to him and how she relaxed underneath him.

"Now I shall tell you about the lost prince," Tasnim said.

"No, no, no," Adam said, kissing her quickly on her neck. "Have you ever heard the story of the cowboy and the exotic beauty?"

"No," she answered, "I have not."

"Well," Adam said, grinning down at Tasnim. "it has a very happy ending. Let me tell it to you…" And Tasnim smiled widely, showing her perfect teeth and wound her arms around Adam's neck and he leaned down to kiss her throat and his muffled voice started to tell her the story about the common cowboy who was going to have a very uncommon experience with an exotic beauty from the Orient.

~Finis~


End file.
